Fate of the Dragons
by Orochi
Summary: *sequal to Warriors Struggle* With the demise of Orochi, and the supposed defeat of his greatest rival, only one more challenge remains...the dragon..


Fate of the Dragons  
  
Chapter1: Coming of the Dragon  
  
Ryu caught out of the corner of his eye the Shungokusatsu headed right at him. As it was about to make contact, he exploded off the ground with a ShinShouryuKen, and knocked Akuma backwards into a giant pillar. The pillar fell down and shattered on contact with Akuma's fist. It has been three straight days of fighting, and neither were getting wearing down.  
  
The waves billowed and slammed onto the shore as they battled across the coastline of the island. Every blow found its mark, but neither of the combatants were giving an inch to the other. It was a slugfest that would most likley never be repeated in history.  
  
Ryu tried a hurricane kick, but it was countered with gou hadouken. Ryu was flung backwards but caught himself in mid-air and launched himself forward off a pillar and hammered Akuma across the face, staggering him backwards, but only for a moment. Before Ryu could get onto his feet his face became the recipient of a fierce punch. He fell on his back, but quickly kicked backwards and got back into his stance.  
  
Both men were determined to defeat the other, and neither was going to pull a single punch or hesitate a moment when oppurtunity made itself known. The sun was beating down on their sweat and blood stained bodies, yet the cool sea breezes made it all too bareable for the two to continue their onslaught upon one another.  
  
Ryu put about 30 yards distance between himself and Akuma. He pulled both hands backwards and narrowed his eyes to where all that was in their gaze was Akuma. Bolts of energy began to swirl between his palms, while such was happening the veins in his arms were coarsing with power, made evident by their size increasing greatly. His gi began to ripple and blow in the wind as the waves crept farther up the shoreline. Finally his eyes flashed in a jolt red fire. He threw both hands forward...."SHINKU!!! HADOUKEN!!!"  
  
The bolt of energy cut the sky like a razer sharp sword through armor, and with every second gaining closer and closer to its intended target. However Akuma was not without his own strategy. He extended both his hands in the same fashion as Ryu had and unleashed a blast of his own to counterattack Ryu's.  
  
Unforutantely for him, he had underestimated the power of Ryu's attack. In a battle of this caliber there was no room for mistakes, which is exactly what had happened. Before Akuma could dodged the bolt of power his blast was consumed and he was hammered in the chest with the blast. He was blown backwards, right into the mouth of the ocean.  
  
Ryu knew it wasnt over, though. He could still feel Akuma's presence very strong. He jumped onto a high pillar that gave him a clear view of the area where Akuma's body had landed after the blast. Nothing. No sign of life, but he could still feel him.  
  
Suddenly a blast of energy came soaring from the water and destroyed the pillar on contact, causing Ryu to fall face first to the ground, landing on sharp rocks and rubble Ryu looked up to see Akuma leaping through the air with one hand extended and energy gathering into it. Ryu sprinted to the side just enough to avoid the Tenmou Gouzanku's explosive power.  
  
Ryu stood up and saw Akuma drawing his fist back. He again lept to the side to miss the blow, but he ended up catching Akuma's right knee in his stomach, proceeded by a blunt shot to the back of the head. Ryu was on his face and in a world of trouble, and he could see the shadow of Akuma's foot lifting into the air. He was about to smash Ryu's head.  
  
As the foot made its downward descent, Ryu gather all the strength he could and jolted upward with a shoryouken. It found its mark in the stomach of Akuma, and sent him straight upwards. As Akuma's body was in the air, Ryu threw a quick Hadouken aimed at Akuma's back. Yet He managed a mid-air turn and countered Ryu's blast with one of his own. After the two shots collided the two stood a few meters apart, just as it had started.  
  
Ryu's eyes glinted with power, he hadnt even grown tired of the intense fighting. Akuma was no more tired than Ryu, and though both bodies were racked with injuries, they were still going as strong as they were when the fight first begun.  
  
Before the two could reenguage in combat, the two fighters began to shake..along with the rest of the ground. It appeared the earth was shifting under their feet. But that was not the case by any means. Akuma fell to one knee and looked up at Ryu standing across from him. It was as if Akuma was vanishing...leaving for another realm...  
  
"rrgh....it seems we will have to continue our battle another time, Ryu. Another challenger is on his way...I can feel it...one is coming...to the birth place....of Shotokan....he....has defeated every master of every clan...Kyugenryu....Strohiem....Kusnanagi...even Orochi.....all of them..and now he seeks you Shotokan...the dragon is coming..." Akuma slammed his fist into the ground and dissappeared.  
  
Ryu stood there awe struck by his words. He looked all around and no one could be found. He was all alone on Akuma's island, a very eerie circumstance indeed. Who was the dragon Akuma spoke of. Of course it was figurative...but Ryu was unaware of any warrior who had accomplished such feats. Nevertheless he would heed the words of Akuma...and thus made his way to place where he had docked his small boat.  
  
When he arrived at his boat he looked out at the massive ocean he would again have to cross. To make matters worse a storm was conveniantly brewing over the horizon. Ryu was determined to get back to the mainland however, storm or no. He boarded his boat and kicked off the shoreline to begin his journey home.  
  
Night had well set in, and Ryu was in the very thick of the storm. His clothes were drenched and wreaked of sweat and blood. He was rowing with all the strength in his body, and was evening managing to out muscle the natures powerful waves. His boat was being tossed to and fro but he persevered all he was able. He even tried to throw a hadouken to propell him, and the tactic managed to work a few times, but such a tactic was very draining on Ryu's strength, meaning his use of it was spareingly.  
  
Out of nowhere a huge swell arose and hurled him forward into another wave. The small boat barely managed to survive the pounding, but it was as tough as Ryu. However, as the storm progressed Ryu was becoming very curious. He had made sure there were no storms during his travels, and the winds were sweeping at an angle and from a direction that never occured in that area. Interestingly enough, as he began to think upon these things bolts of lightning soared into the water causing electrical charges.  
  
Amidst all the chaos, a lightning bolt pattern caught Ryu's eye. It began to snake around the sky methodically and finally exploded in a ball of light. When the light faded a great dragon was hovering over Ryu. Ryu stared it straight in its fiery red eyes, never the one to be intimidated. Yet staring down a dragon is never something that should be done.  
  
Finally it hit him. The words Akuma had spoken were now ringing loud in his ears. This was the dragon. Ryu pulled both hands backwards and stood up on the rocking boat. He was going to challenge the dragon right then and there. It seemed though that all the fighting had gotten to his senses.  
  
The Dragons red eyes flashed quickly, and within an instant a bolt of lightning struck Ryu's boat, capsizing it instantly. With that one fell attack, the dragon spiraled around again and returned into the sky. And Ryu laid there lifeless on a chunk of wood. His brushes with death were becoming more and more often. He was out cold though, and the waves continued to hurl his limp body about...... 


End file.
